Question

a theme is the central idea, message, or insight that a literary work reveals. it should not be confused with the topic of a work. a topic, or subject, is what the literary work is about. a theme is the insight that the author reveals about the topic. fiction writers often develop the theme through characterization and plot.

• characterization is the portrayal, or description, of the characters. the behaviors, motivations, emotions, and interactions of characters can be clues to a storys theme.
• plot is the sequence of events in a story. plots are driven by one or more conflicts that the characters face. pacing refers to the sense of speed at which the action of a plot develops. the types of conflicts, the ways in which characters deal with the conflicts, and the pacing of the action all provide clues to a storys theme.

to figure out the theme, readers should ask questions such as these:

• what do i know about the characters and their interactions?
• what conflicts are presented in the plot?
• how do characters deal with the conflicts?
• what do characters learn from the conflicts?

directions: read the passage below. then, answer the questions that follow.
my fathers favorite pastime is fishing. unfortunately, its not mine. when i told him, i saw that he was hurt, and i feared we would never be close again. for a couple days, i avoided him. then, on the third day, drinking lemonade on the porch, i heard dads voice behind me say, \its a hot day. be sure to leave some of that for the rest of us!\ i laughed, turned around. he added, \of course. im disappointed that you dont love fishing. well just have to find other activities to share instead.\ we have done just that, and now we are closer than ever.

1. what can you tell about the characters from details in the story?

speaker:
dad:

1. what conflict is presented in the plot?
2. how do the characters deal with the conflict? what do they learn?
3. what is the theme of this story?

Explanation:

1. Speaker:

• The speaker is sensitive to their father's feelings. When they saw their father was hurt by the fact that they don't like fishing (his favorite pastime), they feared losing closeness and avoided him for a couple of days.

1. Dad:

• The dad is understanding and flexible. He expresses disappointment about the speaker not liking fishing but is willing to find other activities to share.

1. Conflict:

• The conflict is that the father's favorite pastime (fishing) is not the speaker's. This creates a potential rift in their relationship as the speaker fears they won't be close.

1. Dealing with conflict and learning:

• The dad initiates a conversation (commenting on the lemonade on a hot day) and suggests finding other activities. The speaker likely learns that differences in interests don't have to destroy a relationship. The dad learns that he can still be close to his child even if they don't share his exact hobby.

1. Theme:

• The theme is that relationships can be maintained and strengthened by finding common ground (or new shared activities) even when there are differences in interests.

Answer:

1. Speaker: Sensitive to father’s feelings, fears losing closeness. Dad: Understanding, willing to adapt.
2. Conflict: Father’s favorite pastime (fishing) is not speaker’s; fear of losing closeness.
3. Deal: Dad suggests new activities. Learn: Differences in interests don’t end relationships.
4. Theme: Relationships can thrive through finding common ground despite interest differences.